"But he just needs to grow up?" Mark asked. He obviously took Walker's non-reply as a yes because he said, "Part of the training for the agency is trying to find the right fit for the team members. You don't always get the right mix of people from the beginning. I had three team changes before we got the right combination of skills."
"You never wanted to be the one in charge?"
Mark was obviously a dominant person. Walker thought he would have made a good team leader. But Mark shook his head.
"My skills lay in other directions."
Walker raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"I'm an expert on bombs." Mark wiggled his fingers. "That was my army training. It made sense to carry on."
"Why does that not surprise me?" Walker said. "You were always going to do something sexy."
Mark choked on his juice. He reached out blindly, and Walker handed him a paper towel to mop up the mess, then handed him another piece to wipe his face. When Mark could breathe again, he stared at Walker. "You think defusing bombs is sexy?"
Walker shrugged. "I'm just the muscle. I don't have any particular skills. I'm under no illusions about our team. We'll be stuck with the simple extractions and retrievals."
Mark frowned at him, obviously not pleased by his answer. "You think you're somehow second class? Not worthy of high-profile assignments?"
"I don't think we have the skills," Walker admitted. "And combined with our reputation, I doubt we'll be going anywhere."
"That's a very defeatist attitude."
Walker bristled at the chiding tone. "I think it's a realistic attitude. You haven't been close to the agency in a while. It's more specialized than when you were in it."
"Oh?"
Walker studied Mark's face, hoping he hadn't just screwed up. But Mark looked interested rather than offended. So he ploughed ahead. "As I understand it, when you were in the agency each team had a range of skills so you could all do every job. Mitchelson's current plan is to have specialist teams and general teams. I'm on a general team."
"Will you be given the opportunity to gain further skills?"
"I hope so. Don't get me wrong. I know what I am, and I don't mind being in a team that can use that skill. But I don't want that to be my entire agency life. That's all I did in the army."
Mark nodded. "Get some assignments under your belt and then start looking to expand your skill set. It's very different being out in the real world, and not nearly so predictable. I think you'll find it's not going to be as boring as you think it will."
"Ask me again in six months' time," Walker said.
"I will, but now I have a different skill set in mind and I am very happy to further your education."
Walker swallowed at Mark's sudden predatory expression.
"I'd be very happy for you to train me."
"Then let's clear away the mess, and we'll get started."
Chapter 5
"We've got to change the sheet," Mark gasped into Walker's ear.
Sheet? They had to change the whole bed. Maybe the carpet. And the wall by the door. Walker had spurted over the wallpaper. Not much, but it needed wiping down. Walker was glad he wasn’t facing Mark as his cheeks flamed, remembering Mark jacking him off while telling him all the things he planned to do to him. Walker could have come just from Mark’s dirty talk. His cock made a valiant attempt to rise again but it was too much after several orgasms.
"Food first."
Unaware of Walker’s embarrassed arousal, Mark rolled off him and sat up, scratching his raspy chin.
Walker's stomach growled loudly in agreement. He wasn't sure what time it was, but breakfast had been far too long ago.
Mark sniffed under his armpit, wrinkling his nose. "And shower. We both stink."
Walker stared up at the ceiling, working up the energy just to sit up. He felt like he'd done a twenty-mile run.
"Come on." Mark slapped Walker's hip.
"Hey!" Walker glared at him, but he couldn't summon up a serious scowl. "What's it to be? Food, sheet, or shower?"
"We'll strip the bed together. You go have a shower while I remake the bed."
"You don't want to get clean with me?" Walker asked.
"I'd love to, but I have the smallest shower ever. I think it was made for people who were under five foot. Have fun in there."
Walker groaned as he heaved himself off the bed. "I have a huge bathroom with a full-size shower just right for my body."
It was one of the few things he liked about his current accommodation.
Mark winked at him. "Maybe I'll get to try that sometime. There are lots of things you can do in a shower."
Walker's mouth went dry. There were so many things to process there. First, there was the thought of the two of them in the shower. Mark had shown him the most amazing experiences in bed. He couldn't imagine the sort of things they’d get up to in the shower. And the idea of Mark in his shower…just the thought of that made Walker's heart pound. Was Mark envisaging more than this weekend? Walker hadn't dared to hope, hadn't dared to dream beyond Sunday night when he returned home.
Mark brushed his lips gently. "Don't overthink this," he said softly. "Let's just take it as it comes."
Walker nodded and headed for the bathroom. Mark was right, they did stink. He stopped just inside the door when he spotted the shower. He was never going to fit in there.
“I think I'm gonna have to clean myself one limb at a time,” he called out.
Mark chuckled from the bedroom. "I keep meaning to update it, but you get kinda used to it after a while."
Walker nodded although Mark couldn't see him. "I'm going in. At least a bit of me is."
"If you need me to wash your back, just call."
"We'll never get out of the bathroom if I do that.”
Walker admitted to himself that he probably needed a break from making love to Mark or being made love to. He was overwhelmed. He refused to call it fucking, because in his head he knew he had feelings for Mark, and they weren’t going away after one weekend.
"Here goes nothing," he muttered.
The water was hot at least, although Walker didn't take too long knowing Mark also needed a shower. When he came back into the bedroom, the bed had been remade, and he could hear Mark singing along to the radio. He winced as Mark massacred a high note. It was good to know the man wasn’t perfect at everything. Jesus, he really couldn't sing. Walker scrabbled around in his pack to find clean clothes. He put on a T-shirt and a pair of comfortable sweats and went in search of the man who was sucking the life out of Boulevard of Broken Dreams.
He found Mark in the kitchen chopping up onions. Mark looked up as he came in.
"Feeling better?" he asked.
Walker nodded. "Once I got the hang of your shower, I was fine. The hot water was good."
"My turn. Can you finish these onions and chop up some carrots?"
"I can try," Walker said doubtfully.
Mark went over to the sink to wash his hands. "I won't be long if you get into any trouble. Cooking is not your thing. I remember that."